


Hold your breath

by Ahria



Category: xxxHoLic
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-01-26
Updated: 2009-01-26
Packaged: 2017-11-22 11:48:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/609508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ahria/pseuds/Ahria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Entry for a contest on an old anime forum.  I think this is from 2008.</p><p>I had to use all the following themes:<br/>1. "Hold your breath"<br/>2.  "You can give me anything but love"<br/>3.  "Condemn me to live"<br/>4. water</p>
    </blockquote>





	Hold your breath

**Author's Note:**

> Entry for a contest on an old anime forum. I think this is from 2008.
> 
> I had to use all the following themes:  
> 1\. "Hold your breath"  
> 2\. "You can give me anything but love"  
> 3\. "Condemn me to live"  
> 4\. water

He’d Dreamt of her long before they’d ever met.  He was enthralled with her from the first Dream.  He knew she was going to be frustrating, annoying and remarkably different from anyone he’d ever met.  Normally he was a patient man, but waiting for her was one of the hardest things he’d ever done in his long life.  As time passed, and he Dreamed of her more often, he found himself half in love with her for her smirk alone.  One dreary spring day he saw her sitting on a park bench, crossed the street and silently sat down next to her.  She glanced at him, annoyance on her face as she sipped her tea.  (She’s been waiting for him too.)

*

She knew exactly when he’d snagged her heart.  They’d been taking an evening stroll, taking a break from the constant planning, when he’d grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him.  He’d never been so close to her before, and she could smell the light lemon scent of his shampoo.  Raising an eyebrow, she looked down at his hand and he smiled at her.

“Don’t forget to hold your breath.” He said as he released her.

“Why would I do that?” she’d asked, deliberately breathing deeply. 

“We’re about to walk by a graveyard.” He responded easily, still smiling.

“So?”  

Leaning forward and pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, he replied, “It’s because the dead can’t breathe.”  She’d rolled her eyes, held her breath and walked away.   (It had been right there, with his fingers in her hair.)

*

It was raining when he awoke.  Instantly, he sought her out across the room.  She was lying in front of the fire, sleeping, reams of paper spread out on the floor around her, a pen still grasped in her hand.  Ink stained her fingers and a spot on her cheek.  He mourned as he watched her because he’d finally Seen the end.  He knew what had to be done, the burden he’d leave her with.  He knew it wasn’t fair, knew that if their roles were reversed and he had been the one condemned to live that he would break under the loss.  To spare her the pain of the coming end, he knew he should’ve given her anything but love.  (His last Wish would be for her forgiveness.)    


End file.
